The People You Need During a Divorce

It was only weeks into my divorce
when an IM popped up from a friend on my computer screen. I’d finally written
as openly as I could on my blog about what was happening—why I’d moved into my parents’
house with my child, removed my husband’s name from Facebook, why I was no
longer wearing a wedding ring. My friend’s words popped up on my screen.

“I’m not sure what happened,” she
wrote. “But I want you to know I am on your ninja squad.”

Ninja squad? I hadn’t even
realized I needed that. But I needed that. What I found was my circle of
support was shifting quickly. People I believed were my rocks were questioning
me, slipping away. Others surprised me by stepping in closer. Seeing the circle
around me as ninjas—stealthy, smart, skilled, in sync—helped me to decide
who I wanted to be at the ready when I was sparring or when I was silent.